Electrical connection means



Aug. 7, l945 F..BEAL j 2,380,916

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS original Filed March 29,1939

' eaZ-1NvENTOK Patented Aug. 7, 1945` ELEo'raIoAL CONNECTION-MEANS Fay Beal, Bronson, Mich., assigner to H. A. Douglas Manufacturing Co., Bronson, Mich., a corporation of Michigan original application March 29, 1939, serial No.

264,830. vDivided and this application January 10, 1941, Serial No. 373.908

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical connection means, known in the trade as line connectors, which are 'adapted to receive conductor terminals.

the outer tubular sleeve member, constructed of some suitable insulating material, such as phenolic condensate, and 2 represents the'insert' or metallic circuit continuing member, which is also The principal object of this invention is to pro- 5 preferably tubular in form. vide improved electrical connection means, and The sleeve is preferably made cylindrical in more particularly a connector which is preferform, and provided with an internal annular ably comprised of two members, an outer tubular portion 3 intermediate its extremities, and a sleeve of insulating material, and an inner metalcylindrical recess 4 adjacent each side of the lic insert or circuit continuing member adapted l annular portion; Said portion is provided with to receive the conductor terminals.

'I'his present application is a division of a 29, 1939, and subsequently changed to a sole' application of charles s. Penfoni. said application matured into Patent Number 2,318,649, dated May 11, 1943.

One particular object is to provide a connector in which the parts ythereof may be easily and quickly assembled without the aid of special tools.

Another object is to provide improved means whereby to lock the insert in place within the sleeve of insulating material, and the permanency of the locking action is more completely established or assured when terminals are associated with the metal insert.

A still further object .of the invention is to provide resilient extensions on the insert member whereby to increase the contact surface or area between the insert and the terminalso as to avoid as much ,as possible the millivolt drop.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, there is shown for the purposes of illustration, one of the many forms whichV the invention may assume, and in the drawing: y

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View clearlyT showing the parts of the connector assembled;

' on line 4--6 of Figure 3, showing certain details;

Figure 5 is a partial sectional view of the con'- nector, showing certain details; and

- Figure 6 is a view of the development shown 'in Figure 3, formed into tubular shape for entry into the sleeve member.

Referring to the drawing, numeral I represents a circular aperture of a diameter slightly less than the diameters of the recesses 4', and communicates with the latter. The arrangement is such that a pair of spaced apart shoulders or abutments 5 are provided. -In other words, the base of each recess 4 is provided with a shoulder, and communication between said recesses is established by the provision of an aperture extending through a restricted portion or ,partialA partition between said recesses.

As clearly shown, the diameter of the aperture in the restricted portion 3 intermediate the extremities of the insulating sleeve is preferably slightlygreater than the diameter of the insert so as to more or less snugly receive the intermediate central portion of the insert. The recesses may be cylindrical, or, in fact, any other shape so as to permit free action or movement of the opposite substantially free extremities ofthe innated 9. This opening includes an elongated rectangular slot' i0 which extends substantially parallel to and in spaced relation to the longitudinal axis of the insert and one of its longitudinal mar-- gln'al edges. A recess II intersects transversally 'one of the longitudinal marginal edges of the insert and a side of the slot I0. A s a result of this T-shaped opening the extremity 'I of, the insert is provided with a substantially rectangular portion or tongue I2 and the extremi 8 with a similar tongue I3. These 'tongues I2 and |3, as clearly shown, are located adjacent one of the longitudinal marginal edges of the insert and lie opposite and extend outwardly and angularly toward each other. When the insert is formed into tubular shape as evidenced in Figure 6, the extremities l and 8 provide resilient terminal receptacles, andthe inturned tongues I2 and I3 ceptacle will not, in anyway, substantially affect the insertion or release of a plug conductor terminal -with respect to the otherv receptacle.

The plug conductor terminal I is provided with a cylindrical portion I6 having a detent` groove or cove |1 intermediate its extremities The terminal is also preferably -provided with a cylindrical tubular skirt portion I8 of a diameter slightly greater than the remaining portions of the terminal so as to provide, among other things, a sleeve to receive the insulation on the conductor.

As above referred to, one object of the invention is to provide improved means whereby the insulating sleeve and metal insert may be easily and quickly assembled without the aid of a stop to predetermine the position of the tongue that happens to be contracted and expanded.

In order to assist in holding the plug conductors in relation to the receptacles, a pair of inwardly extending detents 24 are provided on the insert for cooperation with the cove or grooves I1 of the terminals. Each detent 24 is preferably formed by cutting out a portion of the insert as at 25, and thereafterdeforming a margin of the aperture so as to provide a rounded lip 26, which is adapted to register and bite into lche groove |1 of a terminal. Obviously, detents of a character diierent than those just described may be employed, and maybe otherwise disposed; for example, adjacent the longitudinal marginal edges of the insert, but in any event, it is desirable that each detent be located at a point to engage the groove in a terminal when the terminal is moved to its innermost position within the insert, such position being predetermined by the skirt portion I8 of each terminal engaging an end of the insert. In other words, the skirt certain topls. This will now be described. Ask

clearly illustrated in Figures Sand 4, the central portion 6 of the insert is preferablyprovided with-a pair of generally U-shaped cutouts i9 and 20. As a resultl of. these cutouts the insert is provided with" a' pair of rectangular.

fingers or independently operable locking tongues '2| and 22 which extend angularly` toward each otherand in general alignment, with the'longitudinal axisv of the insert, and are spaced apart by an intervening portion 23. When the insert -is formed into tubular shape as depicted in Fig- 2|, to be lcontracted by engaging' and riding over the annular portion 3, until the extremity of the tongue passes one of the shoulders or abutments and that the length ofthe outer sleeve of insu- 5, whereupon said tongue-will .l snap outwardly substantially into engagement with said abutment. Eachabutment is prferablyundercut as shown, in order to more fully insure that the v extremities of the locking tongues vwill be caught in place. The other .locking tongue 22 is. adapted to substantially engage the other abutment to provide a stop in order to predetermine the location of the tongue 2|, with respect to the abutment it is adapted to engage. 'Y As clearly shown, the space'between the free extremities of the tongues 2| and 22- is slightly greater :than the longitudinal extent of the annular portion 3 of the sleeve; and the tongues and the restricted portion 3 are so constructed and arranged with respect to each other that the tongues securely lock the insert in Aplace and prevent vibration Vbetween theA sleeve and the insert. Also, it is apparent that either extremity of the insert may be provides a stop to predetermine the position of the groove with respect to a detent. Thus, the

terminal receptacle or holding portions of the insert act to press the grooves in the terminals into ,cooperation with the detents for detachably securing the terminals to the insert; and when terminals are seated in the insert, the latter is slightly expanded, and tends to more firmly press theftongue locking tongues 2| and 22 into engagement with the abutments on the restricted portion I.'

In View of the foregoing, it is apparent that improved means are provided whereby the electrical connection means of the `character above referred to, may be easily and quickly assembled -together without the use of special tools; that means vare provided whereby to increase the con- -tact area between the terminals and insert, and

means whereby to more completely establish a satisfactory lock or connection for securing the insert and sleeve together. Moreover, it is evident that the receptacles of the insert .are substantially operable independently of each other.

lating material is of such a length that its extremities projectl beyond the skirt portions of the terminals, in order to prevent the skirt portions of the terminals from coming in contact with some metal object and avoid a possible short circuit.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various modiiications maybe made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention; and, therefore, I do not wish to be -understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. Electrical connection means, including a tubular member of insulating material, an abutment provided within the conilnes of said member, an insert member adapted to be engaged by conductor terminals arranged in said tubular .memben and oppositely disposed longitudinally extending resilient portions providedV on said insert in spaced relation to its longitudinally extending marginal edges. said portions being mov- -.able independently of each other so that' when inserted into either of the recesses I for assem- .i

bly with the sleeve,A and that in either event one the insert memberis received in either end of the tubular member one or the other of the portions will be caused-to snap and engage said abutment or the `other of the tongues is adapted to' provide Il for locking said members together, the extremities of said portions being constructed and arranged for nonengagement by said terminals.

2. Electrical connection means, including a one piece tubular open ended member of insulating material, an abutment provided within the connes of said member, an insert member adapted to be resiliently engaged by conductor terminals arranged in said tubular member, said insert being provided With oppositely disposed snappable tongue portions of a character whereby when the tubular member is slid over either end of the insert member one or the" other of the tongue portions will be caused to snap and engage said abutment for locking said members together, and said tongue portions -being arranged substantially midway between the longitudinal marginal edges of said insert.

3. Electrical connection means, including a tubular member of insulating material, an abutment provided within the connes of said member, an insert member adapted to be engaged by conductor terminals arranged within said tubular member, oppositely disposed resilient portions provided on saidinsert apart from its ends extending toward each other and engaging said abutment for locking said members together, -said portions being struck up from the central. part of the material from which the insert is lformed, and means projecting inwardly from one side of said insert adapted to engage said terminals.

4. Electrical connection means, including a one piece tubular open ended member of insulating material having a restricted intermediate inner portion, an insert member having tubular receptacles for receiving conductor terminals insertable through either end of said member to a predetermined position therewithin, converging resilient means disposed apart from the ends of the insert member and extending from the central part of the material from which the insert is formed engaging said inner portion for locking said members together, and angular resilient means provided adjacent one side of said insert for resiliently engaging said conductor terminals.

5. Electrical connection means, including a tubular body of insulating material having a restricted intermediate inner portion, an insert member having split tubular portions for receiving and resiliently retaining conductor terminals arranged within said tubular body, and converging snappable tongue means provided on said insert apart from its ends and within the central part of the material from which the insert is made engageable with said inner portion for locking said member and body together.

6. Electrical connection means, including a tubular body of insulating material having an inner abutment, an insert member having transversely curved movable portions for receiving conductor terminals arranged within said tubular body, converging snappable means on said insert within the central part of the material from which the insert is made engaging said abutment for locking said body and member together, and independent angular resilient means spaced from said locking means functioning to engage portions ci terminals not engaged by said curved portions of said insert,

7. Electrical connection means, including a tubular member of insulating material having an abutment disposed therein, an insert member having curved movable portions for receiving and resiliently retaining conductor terminals arranged within said tubular member, resilient means disposed apart from the ends of the insert member provided in the central part of the material from which the insert is made engaging said abutment for locking said members together, and angular resilient means provided on said insert constructed and arranged to engage portions of said terminals.

8. Electrical connection means including a four sided substantially flat member, a slot arranged Within the connes of said member, and a recess intersecting said slot and a marginal edge of said member whereby to provide a first pair of tongues projecting in one general direction from said member Vfor resiliently engaging terminals, and a second pair of tongues disposed apart from the marginal edges of the flat member provided in the central part of said member and projecting in a direction opposite to said rst pair of tongues providing means whereby said member when shaped into tubular form may be secured to a support.

9. Electrical connection means, including a tubular housing of insulating material, abutment means forming a, pair of shoulders provided Within the connes of said housing,y insert means adapted to be engaged by conductor terminals arranged in said housing, and oppositely disposed iongitudinally extending resilient portions provided on said insert means in spaced relation to its longitudinally extending marginal edges, said portions being movable independently of each other-so that when either end of the insert means is received in either end of the housing one of the portions will be caused to engage one of the shoulders and the other portion will be caused to snap' into position with respect to the other shoulder for locking the insert means and housing together, the extremities of said portions being -constructed and arranged so same Will not be engaged by terminals when cooperating with said insert means.

FAY BEAL. 

